Deflectable catheter with hinge

Abstract

A deflectable device, such as a catheter, is provided that includes a hinge that enhances the ability of the device to deflect or bend within a predetermined plane. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A distal segment is provided distal to the distal end of the catheter body. A tubular hinge is provided between the distal end of the catheter body and the proximal end of the distal segment. The hinge has an axis and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The tube includes at least one slot, and preferably a plurality of slots, extending part of the way through the hinge generally transverse to the axis of the hinge.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A deflectable device comprising an elongated tubing having proximal and distal ends, an axis, at least one lumen extending therethrough, a distal region at or near the distal end of the deflectable device, and an intermediate region proximal of the distal region, wherein the intermediate region has an expandible side and a compressible side opposite the expandible side, and the tubing includes at least one first slot along the expandible side extending part of the way through the tubing and at least one second slot along the compressible side extending part of the way through the tubing, the at least one first slot having a first thickness and the at least one second slot having a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness, the at least one first slot and the at least one second slot being aligned with each other and generally transverse to the axis of the tubing, wherein the first thickness of the first slot is such that it prevents the intermediate region from bending in the direction of the expandible side so that the intermediate region of the tubing is adapted to bend in a single plane in a single direction; and
 means for deflecting the distal region of the tubing in a plane that passes through the at least one first slot and the at least one second slot. 
 
     
     
       2. The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one second slot along the compressible side comprises an elongated opening having a center width and two ends having widths less than the center width. 
     
     
       3. The catheter according to  claim 2 , wherein each end of each elongated opening terminates in a circular opening, the circular openings having diameters greater than the widths of the ends of the elongated openings. 
     
     
       4. The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first slot along the expandible side terminates in a circular opening. 
     
     
       5. A deflectable device having proximal and distal ends comprising:
 a proximal region near the proximal end of the device; 
 a distal region near the distal end of the device; 
 a hinge between the proximal and distal regions, the hinge comprising a tubing having an axis and at least one lumen extending therethrough, wherein the tubing has an expandible side and a compressible side opposite the expandible side, and the tubing includes at least one first slot along the expandible side extending part of the way through the tubing and at least one second slot along the compressible side extending part of the way through the tubing, the at least one first slot having a first thickness and the at least one second slot having a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness, wherein the at least one first slot and the at least one second slot are aligned with each other, and the first thickness of the first slot is such that it prevents the hinge from bending in the direction of the expandible side so that the hinge is adapted to bend in a single plane in a single direction. 
 
     
     
       6. A deflectable catheter comprising:
 an elongated tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough; 
 a distal segment distal to the distal end of the catheter body, the distal segment having proximal and distal ends; and 
 a tubular hinge between the distal end of the catheter body and the proximal end of the distal segment, the hinge having an axis and at least one lumen extending therethrough, wherein the hinge includes an expandible side and a compressible side opposite the expandible side, the hinge including at least one slot along the expandible side extending part of the way through the hinge generally transverse to the axis of the hinge and at least one slot along the compressible side extending part of the way through the hinge generally transverse to the axis of the hinge, the at least one first slot and the at least one second slot being aligned with each other, the at least one first slot having a first thickness and the at least one second slot having a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness, wherein the first thickness of the at least one first slot is such that it prevents the hinge from bending in the direction of the expandible side so that the tubular hinge is adapted to bend in a single plane in a single direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first slot is generally perpendicular to the axis of the hinge. 
     
     
       8. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the hinge comprises Nitinol. 
     
     
       9. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the hinge is mounted over a flexible plastic tubing that has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the catheter body and a distal end attached to the proximal end of the distal segment. 
     
     
       10. The catheter according to  claim 6 , further comprising a flexible hinge cover that completely covers the hinge. 
     
     
       11. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first slot or the at least one second slot comprises from about 10 to about 20 slots. 
     
     
       12. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first slot or the at least one second slot includes a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots having a depth such that the slot does not pass through the axis of the hinge. 
     
     
       13. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first slot or the at least one second slot includes a plurality of slots of equal depth. 
     
     
       14. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the distal segment carries one or more electrodes. 
     
     
       15. The catheter according to  claim 6 , wherein the distal segment includes at least one lumen extending therethrough and carries a porous electrode. 
     
     
       16. The catheter according to  claim 15 , wherein the porous electrode comprises a coil electrode mounted around the distal shaft and a porous plastic cover mounted over the coil electrode. 
     
     
       17. The catheter according to  claim 16 , further comprising an infusion tube extending through the catheter body, the infusion tube being in fluid communication with a space between the coil electrode and the porous plastic cover.